


before and after

by oikawakaashi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 10:18:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10919814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oikawakaashi/pseuds/oikawakaashi
Summary: They're growing up. Things aren't as simple as they used to be.





	before and after

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is something I scribbled down a few months back and am just now diving into. It's nearly midnight and I just wanted to clean something up. It's vaguely experimental to get me back into writing. I hope you enjoy! <3

**July**

 

"I'm gonna leave."

Oikawa says it into the quiet air between them, and Iwaizumi cuts his eyes over to him. They’re sprawled out in Iwaizumi’s backyard, backs on blankets, staring mindlessly at what few stars remain unobscured by clouds and light.

"What? We just sat--"

"I mean like. _Leave._ Leave Miyagi. Sendai,” Oikawa tilts his head to the side, watches the words register in Iwaizumi’s mind, watches him nod.

"Oh. Yeah, of course. Obviously,” he says. Oikawa squints. 

"What's that mean?" 

"You've always been…” Iwaizumi lifts a hand and gestures vaguely to the sky, fingers curling. “Too much. For Miyagi." 

"Is that a compliment?" 

"I mean, yeah. You're better than all this,” Iwaizumi blinks, turns his face away to look up again. Oikawa parts his lips, considering. 

"Oh." 

"Yeah." 

Working his mouth side to side for a moment, Oikawa smiles. "Iwa-chan’s smooth."

"I guess." 

They fall silent for a few minutes, breathing slow and deep. Just when Oikawa’s convinced Iwaizumi’s asleep, Iwaizumi speaks up.

“Where to?”

“Huh?” Oikawa props himself up on his elbow to face Iwaizumi more directly.

“After Miyagi. Where will you go?”

“Tokyo,” Oikawa says, matter-of-fact, and Iwaizumi laughs. 

“You’re a cliche, Oikawa. Rural guy with big city dreams.” 

“Miyagi’s not _that_ rural,” Oikawa argues, nose scrunching up. “What are _you_ planning on doing?”

"I don't know yet,” Iwaizumi says, and shrugs. “I’ve got a few more months to figure that out.”

They’re quiet again, Oikawa worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. They’re both sticky with sweat - it’s the first day of summer vacation but the weather’s been muggy and gross for weeks - and despite the drop in temperature at night, Oikawa can feel the dampness in his uniform. He hates it, and sits up, wraps his arms around his legs and rests his chin between his knees. 

 _Tokyo_ , he thinks, _will have air conditioning._

"The University of Tokyo has good science programs," Oikawa says, faux-casual, watching a knowing smile form on Iwaizumi’s lips.

“Thought you were going into business?” He says.

“Not for me,” Oikawa pouts, forced to say it. “ _You_.”

"What makes you think I wanna go into science?" Iwaizumi closes his eyes.

"It's Iwa-chan's best subject!" 

"I guess." 

"So much guessing."

Iwaizumi opens his eyes, blinks. Turns his head and grins. "I guess."

He laughs when Oikawa’s nose crinkles again, poking the wrinkle in his brow till Oikawa bats his hand away.

“Why’re you thinking so much about all this?” Iwaizumi asks, sitting up with Oikawa but keeping his legs stretched out in front of him, bracing his hands behind him on the blanket.

“Why _aren’t_ you?” Oikawa hums, keeping his gaze averted. Iwaizumi huffs beside him.

“I’m not ready for things to change, I think,” Iwaizumi murmurs, rolling his shoulders. “And like, we have time, right? To _not_ future-trip?”

“Less than a year,” Oikawa points out, and when he looks at Iwaizumi, Iwaizumi’s already staring back.

  _Less than a year._

It echoes around them, radiates nervous energy, and they both look away, Iwaizumi laughing half-heartedly to strip away the blossoming discomfort. 

“Hey,” he says, and Oikawa bobs his head, _yes?_ Iwaizumi reaches out and pats his knee. “Happy birthday.”

Oikawa counts down from three in his head, and when their eyes meet again, he’s beaming.

 

**August**

 

Iwaizumi hardly has his front door open before Oikawa’s speaking, pushing past him.

 “Guess _what_ ,” Oikawa breathes, no lilt to the question. His eyes are glittering with excitement and Iwaizumi crosses his arms once he’s shut the door.

“Hm?”

 “ _Somebody’s_ been _scouted_ ,” Oikawa raises his eyebrows, bounces back and forth on his feet. “By a _university_.”

“Is it...” Iwaizumi pretends he has to think about it, taps his chin and observes the ceiling. He draws out the pause until Oikawa’s grin falters. “You?” He smiles so that Oikawa will, too, and he does.

“ _Yes_ ,” Oikawa produces a letter from behind his back, and Iwaizumi catches a logo printed at the top.  _University of Tokyo._

 “Shit, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi’s eyes widen - he’s not surprised, no, just shocked that it’s happened so soon - and plucks the paper from Oikawa’s hand. He skims the words, really, doesn’t need anyone else to explain Oikawa’s brains, his talent. When he lifts his head, Oikawa is nodding expectantly. “Are you gonna accept it?” 

Oikawa snatches the letter back and folds it neatly, tilting his head from one side to the other. “Well...it’s only August, so I really shouldn’t yet. I’ll have to keep my options open, you know, for better opportunities. I mean, after all, what if they don’t want Iwa-chan?”

Iwaizumi narrows his eyes. “Does it matter?”

“You’re my best friend!”

“Best friends don’t always end up in the same places, you know.”

Oikawa pauses, like he hadn’t considered that, then waves a hand between them, physically dismissing the idea.

Before Oikawa can move the conversation forward, Iwaizumi blurts out, “You should accept it.” Oikawa pauses with his mouth open.

“You think?”

“I do,” Iwaizumi confirms. “It’s a great school. That’s where you want to be.”

Oikawa runs his thumb over the edge of the letter and smiles softly.

 

**September**

 

“You’re gonna end up regretting this.”

Oikawa sighs, spins the ball he’s holding between his hands, and turns to face Iwaizumi as he’s shutting the gym door.

“Regretting _what_ ?” Oikawa snaps - doesn’t _mean_ to snap but, well - and watches Iwa down the length of his nose as he storms closer.

“ _This_ ,” Iwa hisses once he’s close enough to be intimidating, jabbing a finger into Oikawa’s chest hard enough to make it ache after he’s dropped his hand away. “You’ll _hurt_ yourself again, and you won’t be able to _play_ , and you’ll _regret_ it.”

“You make it sound like a threat,” Oikawa sneers. The few centimeters that separate them in height have always felt like a little victory, in moments like these. “Are you going to hurt me?”

Iwaizumi bristles and snatches the volleyball from Oikawa’s hands. “Clean up.”

“ _What_?” Oikawa stares after him in surprise as Iwa jogs to the ball bin and dumps it in, then ducks under the net to round up more from the other side. “You’re not the boss of me!”

“No, but _I_ have the key to the club room!” Iwaizumi shouts back, voice rough. He stands on his toes and gives a small hop, dropping another three over the net and into the bin. “Clean _up_.” 

Oikawa doesn’t help. He stands in the same spot, on the corner of the court, and watches Iwaizumi round up the rest of the balls, then pull down the net, and drag both it and the bin to the open closet on the other side of the gym. When he emerges, he grabs Oikawa by the wrist with a hand that might be shaking and stares him in the face until Oikawa ducks his head to get away from that _look._

“At least bring me, next time,” Iwaizumi says quietly, tightening his grip for a moment before letting go. “You need a babysitter.”

“I do not!” Oikawa huffs, scooping his jacket up from the floor and sliding it on. He only realizes his own hands are shaking when he fumbles with the zipper. Iwaizumi bats his hands away and does it for him, hands pausing under Oikawa’s chin.

They’re bad at fighting, when it comes down to it.

“You know...” Iwaizumi says slowly, eyes averted. He pauses for too long and clears his throat, stepping back. “Never mind.”

 “No, don’t do that,” Oikawa whines. “That’s the worst!” 

“I was just _thinking_ ,” Iwaizumi grumbles. “That Hanamaki and Issei would be _great_ babysitters.”

 Oikawa doesn’t think that’s what Iwa was going to say. He plays his part and whines anyway.

On the walk home, Oikawa stops mid-step and tugs on Iwaizumi’s sleeve.

“We didn’t even need your clubroom key. What kind of excuse was that?”

 “Ah,” Iwa scratches his arm and half-laughs. “I just thought you’d listen better if I had a legitimate reason to be there.” He shrugs. “It worked, didn’t it?”

 “Then...why _were_ you there?” Oikawa tips his head. Iwa squints like it’s the dumbest thing he’s ever been asked.

 “Come on,” he shakes his arm free and continues walking.

Oikawa jogs to catch up.

 

**October**

 

Iwaizumi’s scouted by the University of Tokyo. He refuses to talk about it.

Oikawa doesn’t get it. He’d been _there_ when Iwaizumi had received the letter, when Iwa’d returned to the living room after grabbing the mail with an envelope in his hand and an unreadable expression on his face. Oikawa had snatched it out from between his fingers with a wicked smile, recognizing its colors and size, and already assuming its contents.

“This is _perfect_ ,” he’d said, waving it around in Iwaizumi’s face. “I can accept mine, now! And I won’t have to worry about having a bad roommate, and--.”

“Well, I haven’t accepted it,” Iwaizumi had said, taking the letter back and sliding it onto the table, covering it with an old copy of _3Touch Magazine_ , all in English. He’d collapsed cross-legged beside Oikawa on the carpet and resumed their movie.

No amount of pressing, after that, had made Iwa budge.

He’s lonely. It only makes sense, Oikawa thinks, that they end up at the same college after all these years. And now the opportunity has fallen into his lap and Iwaizumi is just. Quiet.

October is very quiet.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me at oikawakaashi.tumblr.com o(^◇^)o


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